Call for Artists: 2026 – A Year of Resilience – An exhibition series at Lopez Island Library
The Lopez Island Library invites artists to submit proposals to exhibit in the library’s 2026 art series, “Year of Resilience.” We are seeking works that spark reflection, storytelling, and community engagement, deepening a sense of belonging to both place and one another through the theme of resilience.
Background
One of the library’s strategic priorities is to Promote Island Resiliency. We recognize the many challenges people face in living on a remote, rural island community. Limited affordable housing opportunities, rising cost of living, a strained health system, fragile food system, and unreliable transportation options are among a host of issues the island faces. The library supports the sharing of knowledge and encourages dialogue to foster understanding, support, and collaborative solutions for island resiliency.
Goal
A goal of the Year of Resilience is to amplify the voices and stories of community resilience and local partnerships. Selected artists will help tell these stories through visual art, and will join works created by Artist in Residency projects, as well as thematic programming at the library (lectures, events, etc).
Vision
We envision an integrated, two-month exhibition cycle launching with art on the walls and expanding to lectures, hands-on programs, workshops, and collaborative activities. The program runs in eight-week segments throughout 2026, each focusing on a different aspect of resilience:
Thematic Areas
- January & February: Health Connection
Explore healthy connections and the art of thriving together. Works might reflect themes of health, wellbeing, interdependence, and community care. - March & April: House & Home
Reflect on belonging, shelter, and how we support both human and more-than-human communities. Artists are encouraged to consider home as place, habitat, or sanctuary—encompassing built and natural environments. - May & June: Transport
Imagine and illustrate visions for safe, equitable, and reliable transportation now and looking ahead. Works can address movement, access, and future possibilities within our island context. - July & August: Water—Sea & Freshwater
Make visible the importance of water, both salt and fresh, in our daily lives. Pieces could center on water’s role in ecology, culture, recreation, and survival. - September & October: Food
Engage with the theme of feeding ourselves and each other. Artworks can explore local food sources, cultivation, sharing, and the cultural dimensions of nourishment. - November & December: Energy
Highlight present and emerging sources of energy resilience in the San Juan Islands. Interpretations could include renewable energy, conservation, and community adaptation.
How to Submit
Artists of all mediums are encouraged to submit:
- A written proposal describing your intended work and how it explores “resilience” related to one or more thematic areas
- Area preference to show work: walls or display case
- Three to five sample images (or documentation) of work to be shown
- Brief artistic biography
- Optional: Ideas for interactive programming, workshops, or talks
Selected art will be showcased at Lopez Island Library for a one month period to be determined based on coincidence with focus areas.
Deadline for submissions: November 24, 2025
Submit proposals by email to: nikyta@lopezlibrary.org
For more information, contact: nikyta@lopezlibrary.org
Applicants will be selected by jury and notified by the middle of December 2025 via email.
Join us in creatively exploring and celebrating the resilience that defines our island community.